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FRET-SAWING 


AND 


WOOD-  CARVING 

FOR   AMATEURS. 

BY 

GEORGE    A.    SAWYER. 
lUastratcb  from  Original  Jratoings  bg  t^e  ^otl^or. 


"  Carved  with  figures  strange  and  sweet, 
All  made  out  of  the  carver's  brain." 

Sam' I-  T.  Coleridge. 


BOSTON : 

LEE    AND    SHEPARD,    PUBLISHERS. 

NEW  YORK: 

LEE,   SHEPARD,   AND  DILLINGHAM. 

1875- 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1874,  by 

GEORGE    A.    SAWYER, 
In  the  Office  ot  the  Librarian  of  Congress,  at  Washington. 


Bcston: 

Elbctrotvped  and  Printkd  by 

Rand.  Avery.  &  Ca 


(.V  ,  ^^  ^  ^r-,  -*- 


^:5fe 


'he  writer  contributed,  during  the  past  year, 
a  series  of  articles  on  wood-carving  to  that 
most  delightful  of  young  folks'  magazines, 
Scribner's  "  St.  Nicholas." 

The  unexpected  interest  displayed  in  them, 
and  the  many  questions  asked  not  only  by  friends,  but  by 
unknown  correspondents,  encourage  the  hope  that  a  more 
complete  description  of  the  tools  and  mode  of  work  might 
not  be  unacceptable  ;  and  it  is  with  this  thought  that  this 
little  bark  is  launched  upon  the  sea  of  books. 

Whatever  the  shortcomings  or  the  merits  of  its  cargo,  it 
is  freighted  with  the  desire  to  carry  its  burden  into  many 
a  happy  port,  and  leave  nothing  but  that  which  is  healthful 
and  helpful  in  its  results. 

3 


4  PREFACE. 

Especially  is  it  consigned  to  the  restless  energies  of  the 
younger  members  of  the  household,  in  the  hope  that  its 
course  may  direct  them  in  channels  where  their  labors  will 
not  be  entirely  lost,  and  where  the  time  pleasantly  passed 
in  becoming  familiar  with  even  these  simple  tools  and  their 
uses,  may  in  after  life  become  valuable. 

G.  A.  S. 

Germantown,  Phila.,  Pa. 


CONTENTS. 


,  PAGE 

Introduction 7 

Tools  and  Accessories  for  Fret-Sawing lo 

Tools  and  Accessories  for  Carving 14 

Saw-Frames  and  Saws 21 . 

Miscellaneous  Tools 28 

Sharpening  Tools -,-, 

Woods ^6 

Glue,  Varnish,  Oiling,  and  Polishing        .       \        .        .       .  43 

Copying  and  Transferring  Patterns 48 

How  to  Use  the  Saw ci 

How  to  Use  the  Carving-Tools ^^ 

Description  of  Plates 58 

5 


FRET-SAWING    AND   WOOD-CARVING 

FOR   AMATEURS. 


fRET-SAWING  has,  within  a  few  years  past,  jumped  into 
a  popularity  rather  hard  to  realize  by  those  who  are  not 
within  the  pale  of  its  fascinations ;  but  it  is  a  fact  that  to- 
day it  is  one  of  the  most  popular  of  home  amusements.  Within 
many  a  pleasant  home  is  heard  the  gentle  z-z-z  of  the  handsaw, 
or  the  more  sonorous  buzz  of  the  jig-machine  ;  and  walls  and 
tables  everj'where  are  loaded  with  the  results  of  these  labors. 
Good,  bad,  and  indifferent,  large  and  small,  dark  and  light, 
brackets,  easels,  book-racks,  picture-frames,  and  other  things  too 
numerous  to  mention,  —  the  houses  and  shops  are  alike  full  of 
them,  and  still  they  come.  A  good  deal  of  this  enthusiasm  is 
spasmodic,  and  will  die  out ;  but  there  yet  remains  a  large 
amount  of  solid  interest  to  be  provided  for. 

The  true  secret  of  this  suddenly  acquired  popularity  lies  in 
the  fact  that  this  amusement  is  within  the  reach  of  almost  every 

7 


8  FRET-SAWING    AND    WOOD-CARVING. 

one,  that  it  is  easily  acquired,  costs  but  little,  and  is  really  pro- 
ductive of  good  results.  It  keeps  us  happily  busy,  gives  us  a 
resource  for  rainy  days,  and  helps  us  recall  ourselves  pleasantly 
to  the  remembrance  of  those  friends,  whom  we  gratify  by 
thinking  of  them  while  we  make  some  pretty  little  object  to 
adorn  their  rooms. 

For  the  young  particularly,  this  is  a  most  desirable  pursuit. 
Its  influences  are  alone  for  good,  its  associations  solely  refining 
and  elevating.  It  does  not  take  them  to  improper  places,  nor 
bring  them  in  contact  with  doubtful  characters.  It  cultivates 
their  taste  for  the  mechanical  arts ;  it  makes  them  handy  and 
helpful  in  the  use  of  the  tools ;  it  tends  to  develop  any  talent 
they  may  have  for  drawing  and  designing ;  and  it  may  become 
a  means  of  future  profit  as  well  as  present  pleasure. . 

For  the  older  members  of  the  family,  too,  it  has  its  charms. 
We  can  buy  brackets,  boxes,  portfolios,  and  a  thousand  other 
things,  cheaper  perhaps,  and  more  finely  executed,  than  we  are 
ever  likely  to  produce  them  ;  but  who  can  estimate  the  pleasure 
derived  from  the  gift  of  an  article  done  by  some  dear  hand  ? 
Slippers  are  all  well  enough  in  their  way,  but  the  most  care- 
fully kept  ones  will  not  wear  forever.  A  handkerchief,  with  our 
monogram  prettily  wrought,  makes  a  very  tender  souvenir ;  but 
they  are  apt  to  get  "blown  off  the  line,  sur,"  and  disappear. 
Neckties  are  charming,  but  fleeting ;  even  the  bright  colors  of 
a  pincushion  fade,  and  the  stitches  fray  with  constant  use. 
When,   however,   John   gives   Jane   a   rosewood   box  with  her 


INTRODUCTION.  9 

monogram  inlaid  in  the  top,  and  all  sorts  of  convenient  little 
trays  inside  for  her  jewels  or  her  spools ;  or  Jane  gives  John 
her  portrait  in  a  frame  of  her  own  sawing  and  carving,  —  we  feel 
reasonably  sure  that  the  gift  will  last  for  many  a  long  year  to 
recall  us,  in  pleasant  memories,  and  that  time  will  only  add  to 
its  beauties  by  mellowing  its  tints  and  harmonizing  its  tones. 

Let  us,  then,  gather  up  our  tools,  lay  in  a  stock  of  beautiful  and 
enduring  wood,  and  prepare  ourselves  to  become  skilled  work- 
men in  this  pleasant  field. 


Coals  aitb  ^cassorus  for  Jfwt-Saioiwg. 

[HIS  little  work  airrls  to  ba  entirely  practical  in  its  charac- 
ter ;  and,  as  it  may  fall  into  the  hands  of  those  away  from 
the  cities  where  opportunities  exist  for  personal  examina- 
tion and  inquiry,  the  approximate  cost  of  the  different  articles 
is  given  ;  and,  when  necessary,  more  than  one  kind  of  tool  is 
described,  so  that  an  intelligent  selection  may  be  made.  Of 
course  there  are  many  kinds  of  tools,  not  mentioned  here,  which 
would  be  very  useful  to  possess  ;  and  there  are  other  methods  of 
work  besides  those  described  ;  but  the  writer  usually  offers  only 
those  which  his  own  experience  has  proved  satisfactory,  and 
which  will  repay  trial. 

For  simple  fret-sawing,  the  tools  required  are  few  and  inex- 
pensive. 

Pretty  good  work  can  be  done  by  a  clever  boy  with  only  a 
jack-knife  and  an  old  cigar-box ;  indeed,  we  have  toiled  away 
with  nothing  more  than  these  for  months  at  a  time  ;  but  a  few 
cheap  tools  enlarge  one's  field  as  a  lens  does  one's  vision,  and 
are  greatly  to  be  desired. 


TOOLS   AND   ACCESSORIES    FOR    FRET-SAWING.  II 

As  a  commencement,  something  like  the  following  might  be 
suggested :  — 

A  saw-frame  with  a  dozen  fret-saws  ;  an  awl  with  which  to 
drill  holes  ;  a  few  small  files  to  finish  the  work,  and  smooth 
down  inequalities  left  by  the  saw ;  a  pocket-knife  of  almost 
any  pattern  ;  and  two  or  three  sheets  of  sandpaper,  —  the  whole 
costing  between  two  and  three  dollars.  If  you  add  to  these  a 
handle  of  tools,  which  includes  the  awl  before  mentioned,  and 
has,  besides,  some  chisels  and  other  useful  implements  ;  and  an 
oil-stone  for  sharpening  your  knife  and  other  edged  tools;  a 
glue-pot  to  mend  broken  parts,  and  fasten  others ;  a  bottle  of 
linseed-oil  or  shellac-varnish  for  polishing  finished  work,  —  the 
additional  lot  costing  perhaps  two  dollars  more,  —  you  will  have 
an  outfit  equal  to  almost  any  ordinary  demands.  If  to  these  you 
add  a  small  plane,  a  drill  of  some  kind  with  a  number  of  drills 
of  different  sizes,  and  a  set  of  small  carving-tools,  the  whole 
costing  about  five  or  six  dollars,  you  have  a  complete  equip- 
ment ;  and  there  is  nothing  more  to  wish  for  except  a  saw  run- 
ning by  foot-power  like  a  sewing-machine.  Without  this  last, 
however,  you  can  do  excellent  and  finished  work.  The  treadle- 
saw  will  only  do  it  a  good  deal  faster,  and  with  less  fatigue,  just 
as  tht  sewing-machine  accomplishes  work  so  much  faster  than 
the  unaided  hand  ;  but  there  is  perhaps  the  same  temptation  to 
elaborate  and  multiply  work  with  the  treadle-machine,  that 
there  is  to  add  tucks  and  frills  when  one  uses  a  sewing-machine  ; 
it  seems  so  easy  to  do,  and  is  so  quickly  done. 


12  FRET-SAWING   AND   WOOD-CARVING. 

Let  US  recapitulate. 

List  of  tools  which  are  essential  for  fret-sawing  •  — 

A  saw-frame, 

A  dozen  assorted  saws, 

An  awl  to  bore  holes, 

Half  a  dozen  files, 

A  few  sheets  of  sand  or  glass  paper. ' 

List  of  additional  tools  which  it  is  convenient  to  possess,  and  which 
may  be  purchased  at  once  if  possible:-^ 
Handle  of  tools. 
Oil-stone, 
Glue-pot, 

Two  or  three  wooden  screw-clamps  for  holding  glued  objects, 
Bottle  of  oil  or  varnish, 
Archimedian  drill  with  six  small  drills. 

With  these  to  commence  with,  you  can  do  any  of  the  ordi- 
nary samples  of  fret-sawing  with  satisfaction  and  success ;  and 
if  you  are  only  taking  up  the  occupation  for  a  temporary  pur- 
pose, or  as  a  means  of  whiling  away  some  spare  moments  which 
would  otherwise  hang  heavily,  and  not  from  any  real  fondness 
for  mechanical  pursuits,  we  would  advise  your  being  content 
with  these. 

For  those,  however,  who  have  had  previous   experience,  or 


TOOLS    AND   ACCESSORIES    FOR    FRET-SAWING.  1 3 

for  people  of  strong  mechanical  tastes  and  some  leisure,  we 
would  recommend  extending  the  list  by  the  addition  of  one  of 
the  several  kinds  of  treadle  scroll-sawing  machines  with  which 
the  market  is  abundantly  supplied,  and  which  can  be  procured 
at  prices  ranging  all  the  way  from  ten  dollars  to  one  hundred 
and  fifty.  Without  venturing  to  discriminate  between  the  differ- 
ent rivals  for  public  favor,  it  is  suggested  that  there  are  a  few 
points  which  it  is  necessary  that  the  machine  should  fulfil. 
It  should  be  well  and  strongly  made,  and  yet  not  too  heavy  to 
be  portable.  It  should  be  symmetrical  and  graceful.  The  fewer 
the  parts,  and  the  simpler  its  formation,  the  better  ;  and  it  should 
be  readily  adjustable  to  carry  saws  of  different  sizes  and  lengths  ; 
and,  lastly,  it  should  run  with  great  rapidity  and  ease.  The 
machine  that  will  fill  these  requirements,  and  still  come  within 
the  reach  of  the  average  pockets  of  the  people,  will  soon  make 
its  way.* 

A  small  smoothing-plane  such  as  piano-makers  use, 
A  light  hammer, 

A  try-square, 

A  gauge, 
may  be  added  as  they  are  needed,  and  will  be  found  indispensa- 
ble to  the  advanced  workman  who  intends  to  excel. 

*  The  "  Fleetwood  "  Machine,  which  we  use,  is  to  us  entirely  satisfactory,  and  is 
furnished  at  a  less  price  than  any  other  with  which  we  are  acquainted.  The  older 
ones  were  made  with  a  treadle  for  one  foot.  We  regard  the  double-foot  treadle  as 
an  essential  improvement. 


11. 

Cools  anb  %ca%Boxus  for  dTarbmg. 

[HOUGH  good  specimens  of  fret-sawing,  well  and  care- 
fully finished,  are  pleasing,  and  to  many  satisfactory, 
the  rich  effect  of  the  sawing  is  greatly  heightened,  in  an 
artistic  point  of  view,  by  calling  to  our  aid  the  chisels  and 
gouges  of  the  carver;  and  here  there  is  no  limit  to  our  fancy, 
and  there  is  an  opportunity  to  display  all  the  ability  and  power 
we  possess.  A  dozen  people  will  take  the  same  design,  and 
with  a  fret-saw  cut  out  the  pattern  in  very  much  the  sanie  style ; 
they  have  a  line  to  follow ;  and  except  that  one  will  do  it 
smoothly,  and  one  roughly,  the  general  effect  will  be  at  last  much 
the  same  ;  but,  put  the  carver's  tools  into  their  hands,  and  the 
same  specimens  when  finished  will  vary  all  the  way  from  bad  to 
something  which  would  be  acceptable  'as  a  work  of  fine  art. 
Next  to  drawing  and  painting,  there  is  nothing  which  more 
readily  shows  the  refinement  of  taste  and  feeling,  and  the  edu- 
cation of  the  hand  and  eye,  than  the  few  strokes  with  which  a 
flower  or  a  leaf  is  cut  out  of  a  solid  block  of  wood ;  and  the 
number  of  successful  wood-carvers  should  be  as  much  greater 
14 


PLATE  I. — For  description  see  "Tools  for  Carving." 

STRAIGHT    CARVING    TOOLS. 


Chisel. 


Skew  Chisel. 


Parting  Tool. 


Chisel. 


Parting  TooL 


IMPRESSIONS    OF    THE    EDGES    OF    TOOLS. 
Chisels.  Gouges. 

~^     Fluting  Gouge. 
^  Parting  TooL 


h 


TOOLS    AND   ACCESSORIES    FOR    CARVING.  15 

than  the  number  of  successful  artists,  as  excellence  in  the  one 
pursuit  is  the  more  easily  acquired  than  in  the  other. 

The  tools  required  for  carving  work  previously  prepared  by 
the  fret-saw  need  not  be  numerous  or  expensive,  though  there 
are  more  difficulties  in  the  way  of  making  a  proper  selection 
here  than  in  the.  case  of  the  fret-sawing  appliances.  We  cannot 
help  detailing  our  own  experience. 

Some  time  after  making  our  first  essay  at  real  carving  on  a 
small  piece  of  work,  on  which  we  used  the  chisels  and  gouges 
which  came  with  the  little  handle  of  tools  previously  mentioned, 
to  which  we  had  added  one  or  two  of  our  own  home  manu- 
facture, we  one  day  went  into  a  large  hardware  establishment, 
and  asked  to  see  some  wood-carving  tools.  The  clerk  cout 
ducted  us  to  the  rear  of  the  shop,  and,  going  up  to  a  long  coun- 
ter, threw  open  two  large  drawers,  and  asked  what  we  wished. 
We  replied  that  we  were  only  an  amateur,  and  had  come  to  see 
what  they  had,  and  what  one  needed  in  the  way  of  a  small  set 
for  general  work.  The  gentleman  smiled  when  he  said,  "We 
have  here  chisels  and  gouges  of  eight  or  nine  different  patterns 
and  shapes,  commencing  at  one-sixteenth  of  an  inch  wide,  and 
increasing  by  sixteenths  up  to  two  inches,  or  more,  — probably  in 
all  one  hundred  and  fifty  tools ;  and  we  don't  pretend  to  know 
any  thing  about  them.  Usually  workmen  come  in  with  the 
sizes  and  shapes  they  need  punched  on  a  piece  of  board,  and 
they  make  their  selection  to  suit  their  particular  work;  and 
every  man  wants  a  different  lot.     We  can  give  no  advice." 


l6  FRET-SAWING    AND   WOOD-CARVING. 

After  looking  them  all  over,  we  retired  in  despair,  and  con- 
cluded to  go  into  the  workshops,  and  see  what  the  men  who 
used  them  had  to  say  about  it.  Here  we  were  more  successful ; 
and  from  them,  and  other  sources  of  information,  we  decided 
that  a  dozen  or  eighteen  of  the  sizes  under  one  half  inch  would 
suit  the  particular  work  for  which  we  wished  them.  These 
tools,  however,  are  all  large,  and  to  a  certain  extent  awkward  ; 
that  is,  they  are  designed  to  stand  the  ordinary  rough  usage  of 
the  workshop,  and  in  so  far  are  not  adapted  to  the  more  careful 
handling  of  the  amateur,  particularly  when  the  amateur  is  a 
lady;  and  so  we  made  a  pattern  ;  and,  after  some  trouble  to  find 
a  skilful  and  willing  workman,  we  had  a  set  made  to  our  entire 
satisfaction  after  our  own  designs. 

For  ordinary  work,  however,  the  tools  imported  from  England 
(we  cannot  find  that  there  is  any  manufactory  of  them  in  this 
country),  and  kept  in  the  large  tool-stores,  cannot  be  excelled ; 
and  the  prices  range  from  thirty-five  to  seventy-five  cents  apiece 
for  the  sizes  under  one  half-inch. 

We  will  give  a  select  list  of  one  dozen,  and  of  eighteen  for 
general  work,  such  as  has  been  described.  Those  who  want  to 
do  heavier  work,  or  wish  to  extend  the  range  of  it,  can  add 
other  tools,  or,  rather,  different  sizes  of  these  same  ones,  as 
they  find  out  their  needs.  It  is  suggested  that  no  more  tools 
be  gotten  to  commence  with  than  are  necessary  to  make  a 
fair  start,  but  the 'collection  extended  as  experience  calls  for 
them. 


TOOLS   AND   ACCESSORIES    FOR   CARVING,  1 7 


List  of  tools  for  carving:  — 

3 

flat  chisels, 

I  .  . 

.  \  inch  wide, 

I  .  . 

.  tV  "       " 

I  .  . 

.  i     "       " 

3 

shallow 

gouges, 

I  .  . 

.  \  inch  wide. 

I  .  . 

.  A  "       " 

I  .  . 

.  i     "       " 

3 

deep  gouges, 

I  .  . 

.  \  inch  wide. 

I  .  . 

3         U            (( 

I  .  .  .  i   "     " 

I  skew  chisel,  \  inch  wide, 
I  parting-tool,  ^  "       " 
I  fluting-gouge,  \  "       " 
The  above  are  all  straight  tools. 

When  the  paragraph  above  was  written,  we  intended  to 
extend  the  list  by  six  more  tools.  But  we  find  that,  after  getting 
beyond  those  already  mentioned,  generalization  becomes  more 
difficult ;  and  instead  we  have  added  figures  of  the  bent  tools 
(see  plate  of  carving-tools),  from  which  each  can  make  selec- 
tions suitable  for  the  work  in  hand,  or  to  suit  particular  needs. 
We  will  only  say  that  the  bent  parting-tool,  and  bent  fluting- 
gouge,  are  very  generally  useful.     They  are  the  same  sizes  as 


15  FRET-SAWING   AND   WOOD-CARVING. 

the  Straight  ones,  and  differ  only  in  the  curve  of  the  blade, 
which  permits  their  use  in  depressions  of  the  work  where  a 
straight  tool  will  not  reach. 

There  is  another  tool  of  which  we  have  not  given  a  figure, 
but  often  noticed  in  the  books,  called  a  macaroni,  —  a  round 
name  for  a  square  thing,  it  being  a  flat  chisel  with  the  edges 

turned  up,  and  would  make  an  impression  like  this  | |.     It  is 

chiefly  useful  in  cutting  away  the  waste  wood  next  the  promi- 
nent veins  of  foliage ;  but  the  parting-tool  and  a  flat  chisel 
accomplish  the  same  work,  and  the  macaroni  is  extremely 
difficult  to  sharpen,  and  keep  in  order. 

The  other  bent  tools  are  more  valuable  on  work  of  greater 
depth  than  any  we  are  likely  to  have  in  connection  with  fret- 
sawing  ;  but  where  they  are  needed  they  are  indispensable. 
Where  it  is  intended  to  have  the  carved  work  raised  on  a  level 
ground,  a  pick  or  checkering  punch  is  useful  in  breaking  up  the 
fiat  surface.  This  effect  may  often  be  seen  on  what  are  called 
stencilled  picture-frames  so  popular  two  or  three  years  ago. 

Diaper-carving  is  another  name  for  a  very  similar  kind  of 
work.  The  outlines  of  the  design  are  carved  with  a  parting- 
tool  or  the  graver  of  the  wood-engraver ;  and  all  the  wood  out- 
side of  the  figure  is  stamped  with  a  checkering  punch. 

All  parts  of  this  work,  it  will  be  seen,  are  on  the  same  level ; 
and  the  effect  is  entirely  dependent  upon  the  contrast  between 
the  smooth  parts  of  the  design,  and  the  stamping  of  the  ground- 
work.    A  pattern  with  broad  lines,  after  the  style  of  plate  2, 


TOOLS   AND   ACCESSORIES    FOR   CARVING.  19 

would  be  of  suitable  character  for  this  kind  of  work ;  and  a 
small  box,  or  the  cover  to  a  book,  would  be  an  appropriate 
example. 

The  checkering  punch  may  have  one  point,  thus, ',  or  three, 
,■„  or  four,  !!,  or  like  an  asterisk  *,  or  a  variety  of  other 
shapes ;  and  the  amateur  can  make  them  himself  by  taking  a 
piece  of  round  or  square  steel-wire  four  inches  long,  and  three- 
sixteenths  or  a  quarter  of  an  inch  in  diameter,  and  filing  one  end 
into  the  desired  shape. 

After  the  carving  is  finished,  one  of  these  punches  is  taken, 
and  the  whole  ground-work  is  covered  with  its  figure  indented 
by  a  light  blow  with  the  mallet,  and  the  surface  not  regularly, 
that  is,  not  in  regular  lines,  but  evenly  pitted.  The  carved  part, 
being  left  smooth  and  untouched,  forms  with  this  roughened 
surface  a  stronger  contrast. 

Besides  the  tools  above  mentioned,  you  will  need  one  or  two 
clamps,  or  hold-fasts,  of  which  a  good  pattern  is  figured  else- 
where, and  a  light  wooden  mall^et,  which  can  be  procured  in  any 
hardware  store ;  and  one  or  two  slips,  as  they  are  called,  of 
Ouachita,  or  preferably  of  Arkansas  oil-stone,  to  sharpen  the 
inside  of  the  gouges  and  parting-tools. 

The  tools  of  our  own  pattern,  spoken  of  above,  cost  about 
fifteen  dollars,  with  a  single  adjustable  handle  into  which 
they  all  fitted.  This  was  for  one  set  very  carefully  made  by 
hand  ;  and  the  price  was  altogether  too  large  to  make  them  availa- 
ble for  popular  use.     We  are  in  hopes  of  being  able  to  get 


20  FRET-SAWING   AND   WOOD-CARVING. 

some   more   made   in   considerable  numbers   at   a   reasonable 
rate. 

A  set  of  carving  tools  by  Addis,  the  celebrated  London 
maker,  would  cost,  for  one  dozen  assorted,  about  thirty-five  or 
forty  cents  apiece. 


PLATE   II. 


CORNER    BRACKET. 


III. 


[HERE  are  so  many  dififerent  patterns  of  saw-frames  for 
sale,  that  we  feel  the  importance  of  setting  the  tyro  right 
in  this  matter  upon  which  our  success  so  greatly  depends  ; 

and  we  therefore  give  a  few  brief  remarks  upon  some  of  the 

kinds  which  have  come  under  our  notice. 

The  smallest,  simplest,  and  handiest,  of  which  we  know  any 

thing,    is    the 

one  figured  in 

No.  I,  and  is 

the     one     we 

would  recom- 
mend to  those 

without  previ-  ^'°-  '•    Adjustable  Saw-Frame. 

ous  practice,  and  especially  for  children's  use.  It  is  also  the 
cheapest,  costing  from  one  dollar  to  a  dollar  and  a  half,  accord- 
ing to  the  make.  The  objection  to  it  is,  that  only  small  work 
can  be  done  with  it,  the  distance  from  the  saw-blade  to  the  back 
of  the  frame,  only  about  two  and  a  half  inches,  being  the  limit. 


22  FRET-SAWING   AND    WOOD-CARVING. 

These  frames  are  all  made  abroad,  and  we  do  not  know  of 
any  manufacturer  of  them  in  this  country ;  but  they  are  in  great 
demand  among  artisans  of  different  professions,  and  one 
advantage  they  have  is  that  they  can  be  obtained  almost 
anywhere.  They  are  sold  under  the  various  names  of  dentist's, 
or  jeweller's,  or  mechanical  saw-frames  ;  and  even  if  you  subse- 
quently treat  yourself  to  a  larger  one,  or  to  a  treadle-machine, 
they  will  be  useful  for  many  purposes  on  account  of  their  porta- 
bility. This  is  also  the  only  frame  in  which  the  back  is  adjusta- 
ble to  broken  saws,  or  blades  of  varying  lengths  ;  and  it  possesses 
an  additional  value  on  that  account. 

The  next  pattern  in  point   of  size   is  something  like  figure 
No.  2,  which  is  also  much  like  the  one 
we  have  just  been  describing  except 
that  it  has,no  method  of  adjustment; 
an  objection  which  applies  to  all  the 
other  patterns  which   will   be   men- 
tioned.    It   will,  however,  do  larger 
work,  the  distance  from  the  saw-blade 
to  the  back  varying  in 
different    makes    from 
six  to  fourteen  inches. 
Fig.  2.  Saw-Frame.  For  Ordinary  work  one 

eight  or  nine  inches  is  plenty  large,  and  more  easily  managed 
than  one  larger ;  it  being  remembered,  that,  as  you  can  saw 
that   distance   from   each  edge   of   your  board,   an   eight-inch 


SAW-FRAMES   AND   SAWS. 


23 


saw  will  cut  satisfactorily  on  a  board  a  foot  or  fourteen 
inches  wide,  and  that  is  quite  sufficient  for  any  ordinary  hand- 
work. 

The  next  kind  of  saw-frames  are  varying  styles  of  figure 
No.  3.  We 
have  never 
used  one  of 
these,  and 
so  do  not 
speak  from 


personal 

e  X  p  e  r  i- 

ence  ;  but  this  pattern  is  the  kind  that  has  probably 

been  most  used  by  amateurs  in  this  country,  and  in 

England,  where  fret-sawing  is  even  more  popular  than  here. 

The  long  frame  of  this  saw  requires  to  be  supported  on  the 
upper  arm,  and  it  would  seem  to  be  more  fatiguing  to  use  than 
some  one  of  the  smaller  kinds.  It  should  therefore  be  made 
as  light  and  symmetrical  as  possible.  But  it  does  larger  work, 
and  the  large  opening  saves  trouble  in  having  to  turn  the  wood 
less  frequently ;  and  we  know  ladies  use  it  with  great  success. 
In  fact,  the  best  specimens  of  hand  fret-sawing  we  have  yet 
seen  were  at  the  rooms  of  the  Sorrento  Wood-Carving  Co.  in 
Boston,  where  the  walls  were  hung  with  the  most  beautiful 
work,  all  done,  we  were  told,  by  the  ladies  of  the  establish- 
ment. 


24 


FRET-SAWING   AND   WOOD-CARVING. 


In  figure  No.  4  is  a  pattern  of  a  saw-frame  invented  by  a 
friend,  which  is  too  good  to  be  kept  longer  restricted  to  the 
favored  few ;  and  the  dimensions  of  one  of  good  size  are  given, 
that  any  one  with  a  few  tools,  and  a  slight  mechanical  turn  of 
mind,  may  easily  make  for  themselves,  only  having  to  get  the 
clamps  to  take  the  ends  of  the  saw-blades  at  any  machine-shop. 


Fig.  4.  Foot  Jig-Saw. 

The  whole  cost  will  not  be  greater  than  any  of  the  larger  styles 
last  mentioned  ;  and  we  think,  where  one  has  facilities  for  getting 
them  made,  that  they  will  be  found  as  useful,  and  as  easily 
operated,  as  any  saw  not  having  a  regular  balanced  movement 
like  the  treadle-machines.  They  are,  however,  less  desirable  for 
ladies'  use. 

The  arms  are  thirty-six  inches  long,  and  made  of  black  wal- 


SAW-FRAMES   AND   SAWS.  25 

nut,  one  inch  square.  Seven  inches  from  the  end,  the  sticks 
are  planed  off  to  a  taper,  and  left  square.  The  rest  of  the  arm  is 
worked  down  to  a  long,  graduated,  elastic,  round  rod;  the  last 
two  inches  being  square,  and  through  which  holes  are  bored  to 
take  the  saw-clamps.  These  clamps  are  made  like  the  figure, 
with  a  square  shank  to  fit  the  hole  in  the  arm,  and  a  nut  to 
screw  down,  and  hold  them  fast ;  and  a  jaw,  confined  by  a  thumb- 
screw, in  which  to  fasten  the  saw-blade.  Screw  the  arms  on  a 
piece  of  inch  board,  six  inches  or  so  square  ;  and  this  board, 
when  using  the  saw,  is  fastened  to  a  box  or  table  by  a  clamp  or 
screws.  Fasten  a  wooden  saw-horse,  like  the  one  figured  else- 
where, on  the  table  opposite  the  saw,  the  blade  being  close  into 
the  V  cleft ;  and  on  this  place  the  work.  -Be  careful,  when  fasten- 
ing the  arms  to  the  board,  that  the  saw-blade  is  exactly  perpen- 
dicular, so  that,  when  it  is  drawn  down  by  the  action  of  the  foot, 
the  cut  will  be  true.  This  is  worked  to  the  best  advantage  by  a 
strap  or  stirrup  from  the  lower  arm,  into  which  the  heel  of  the 
boot  is  put,  the  ball  of  the  foot  resting  on  the  floor ;  or,  better, 
on  a  block  of  wood  an  inch  or  two  high.  The  motion  is  less 
fatiguing  than  might  be  imagined,  and  can  be  kept  up  for  a 
considerable  period.  This  arrangement  makes  a  cut  at  right 
angles  to  the  surface  of  the  wood,  and  it  leaves  both  hands  free 
to  guide  the  work ;  advantages  which  go  far  to  compensate  for 
its  disadvantages. 

All  the  saw-blades  for  these   frames  are   made   abroad,    in 


26  FRET-SAWING   AND    WOOD-CARVING. 

Germany  principally,  and  vary  in  size  from  one  so  fine  that  the 
teeth  are  not  visible  except  upon  very  close  examination,  to  one 
coarse  enough  to  take  one  of  the  first  kind  between  each  of  its 
teeth.  They  are  numbered  from  i  to  5  ;  the  No.  i  's  have  about 
eighty  teeth  to  the  inch,  and  the  No.  5's  about  thirty.  There  are 
still  finer  ones  than  these,  numbered  000,  00,  and  o,  and  are 
used  for  cutting  metal.  With  a  treadle-saw,  thin  brass,  copper, 
silver,  &c.,  may  be  sawed,  and  monograms,  and  other  ornaments 
for  inlaying  or  overlaying  wood-work,  may  be  executed  very 
beautifully.  Monograms  done  in  ivory  or  French  gilt,  make 
handsome  and  appropriate  adornments  for  a  prayer-book  or 
Bible. 

The  medium  and  coarse  sizes,  Nos.  3  to  5,  are  best  for  fret- 
sawing  ;  and  two  dozen  will  last  a  long  time.  Being  made  by 
machinery,  they  are  sold  very  cheaph',  retailing  in  this  country 
for  twenty  or  thirty  cents  a  dozen. 

There  are  still  coarser  saw-blades  made  at  home,  and  specially 
adapted  to  the  particular  machine  for  which  they  are  designed  ; 
and,  in  using  a  treadle-machine  for  sawing  any  thing  thicker  than 
one-eighth  of  an  inch,  they  are  more  useful  than  a  finer  one ; 
also  in  preparing  wood  to  be  carved.  The  only  ones  we  have 
used  are  made  by  the  Trump  Brothers,  Wilmington,  Del.,  and 
are  excellent.     They  cost  fifty  cents  a  dozen. 

All  these  smaller  implements  can  safely  be  ordered  and  sent 
by  mail ;  but,  for  the  occasional  workman  who  likes  to  make 
things  for  himself,  we  may  mention  that  very  good  saw-blades 


SAW-FRAMES    AND    SAWS.  27 

can  be  made  from  discarded  hoop-skirt  steel,  cutting  the  teeth 
with  a  file.  A  number  of  pieces  of  the  desired  length  may  be 
fastened  together  by  clamps,  or  hand-vises,  at  the  ends,  and  the 
whole  filed  out  at  once  with  buc  Uttle  more  labor  than  a  single 
one  would  require. 


IV. 
[istcUaiuous  Cools. 

[HE  handle  of  tools  (see  figure  5,  which,  however,  shows 
only  a  portion  of  the  tools),  mentioned  with  the  fret-sawing 
implements,  is  an  extremely  convenient  article  to  have  in 

the  house,  besides 
its  usefulness  in  this 
particular  direction. 
There  are  several 
kinds  in  the  mar- 
ket ;  but  this  will  be 
found  to  combine 
as  many  advantages, 
perhaps,  as  any  of 
them.  About  twenty 
small  tools,  screw- 
drivers, counter- 
sink, chisels,  awls, 
brads,  &c.,  are  in- 
cluded in  the  same 
handle,    into  which 

Fig.  5.    Brad-Awls,  &c,  with  Hollow  Handle.  they  all   fit,  and    are 


PLATE    III. 


WALL  BRACKET. 


MISCELLANEOUS   TOOLS. 


29 


securely  held  while  in  use.  When  not  in  use,  the  tools  and 
wrench  all  go  into  the  hollow  handle,  which  thus  occupies  but 
little  space,  and  can  be  sold  at  a  most  reasonable  price.  The 
cost  of  this  style  is  about  a  dollar  and  a  half,  or  less. 

Figures  6  and  7  are  given  of  two  kinds  of  clamps.     They  are 
both  useful  in  holding  glued  articles,  and  the 
metal  one  with  the  single  screw  for  fastening 
wood  to  the  bench  while  being  carved. 

A  convenient  way  of  securing  wood  is  to 
nail  two  thin  strips  on  the  work-bench  at 
right  angles  to  each  other,  and  place  the 
article  in  the  angle.  As  the  carving  is  done 
principally  by  pushing  the  tools,  the  strips 
make  a  point  of  support,  and  prevent  the 
article  from  slipping  away.  When  the  edges 
of  the  work  are  delicately  carved,  it  will  not 
of  course  do  to  subject  them  to  this  pressure, 
and  in  that  case  the  clamp  may  be  used. 
The  work  may  also  be  fastened  by  a  screw, 
or  screws,  to  a  piece  of  board  from  the 
under  side ;  the  screws  being  put  into  the 
carving  in  the  thickest  part,  and  where  they 
will  not  interfere  with  the  use  of  the  tools. 

When  carving  fret-work  after  sawing,  it  may  sometimes  be  best 
to.put  a  long  screw  through  a  hole  in  the  work-bench,  or  a  good 
sized  piece  of  board,  pass  the  point  of  the  screw  through  one  of 


Figs.  6  and  7.    Clamps. 


30  FRET-SAWING  AND   WOOD-CARVING. 

« 

the  openings  of  the  fret-work,  and  screw  a  wooden  block  on 
the  point  as  a  nut,  and  turn  it  down  close  enough  to  hold  the 
work  tightly. 

Smaller  pieces  of  wood  to  be  carved  may  also  be  glued  to  a 
larger  piece  of  pine  board,  and  the  latter  fastened  in  any  easy  way. 
Put  a  piece  of  thin  paper  between  the  two  glued  articles,  and, 
when  it  is  desired  to  separate  them,  carefully  insert  the  blade  of  a 
thin  table-knife.  The  paper  will  split,  and  permit  their  parting. 
The  drill  (No.  8)  figured  here  is  known  as  the  Archimedian, 
and  is  as  good  as  any  we  have  yet  seen.  There  are 
six  sizes  of  drills  furnished  with  the  stock  ;  and  more 
may  be  added  by  getting  the  common  twist-drills,  and 
grinding  the  shanks  to  fit  the  stock.  The  twist-drills 
make  a  perfectly  clean,  clear  hole,  which  can  be  used 
advantageously  for  ornamental  purposes. 

Some  of  the  treadle-machines  have  drilling-attach- 
ments, which  would  supersede  the  use  of  the  hand- 
drills. 

A  small  plane  has  been  mentioned  as  very  con- 
venient. The  one  we  have  in  use  is  an  implement 
made  for  piano-makers,  and  is  a  smoothing-plane 
of  a  little  less  than  one-half  the  usual  size,  but 
costs  full  price,  about  a  dollar  and  a  half. 

The  figure  (No.  9)  of  the  saw-horse  sufficiently 
explains  itself.  A  piece  of  board  has  a  V-shaped 
notch  cut  in  one  or  both  ends,  two  or  three  inches 


MISCELLANEOUS   TOOLS. 


31 


deep.     The  horse  is  fastened  to  a  table  or  work-bench,  with  the 
m         V    end   protecting 
i  over  the  edge,  and 

■  the  work  is  laid  on 

it  so  that  the  saw 

when  in  operation  Fig.  9.  Saw-Horse. 

will  be  close  in  the  angle,  and  the  horns  of 
the  horse  on  either  side  will  support  the 
wood. 

In  the  list  of  fret-sawing  tools,  there  are 
half  a  dozen  files  mentioned.     While  almost 
any  kind  will  do,  we  have  hit  upon  a  style 
which  is  so  much  more  convenient  to  use,  and 
which  works  so  satisfactorily,  that  we  cannot 
forbear  giving  a  figure  (No.  10)  and  description 
of  them.     They  are  made  of  eighth-inch  wire, 
two  inches  of  the  round  wire  being  left  on 
to   serve  as  a  handle.     They  can  be  bought 
by  the  dozen  for  about  seventy-five  cents,  all 
kinds  alike.     A  flat  one,  a  round  one,  a  half- 
flat  and  half-round,  a  square,  a  three-cornered, 
and   a   knife-edged,    are    the    kinds    recom- 
mended.    For  finishing  fine  work,  these  are 
indispensable.     For  large  work,  larger  sizes 
of  the  flat,  square,  round,  and  round  and  flat, 
will  be  found  useful.     These  cannot  be  gotten 


Figs.  10  AND  II.   Files. 


32  FRpT-SAWING   AND   WOOD-CARVING. 

of  the  handled  style ;  and  any  hardware  store  will  supply  them. 
Peter  Stubs'  files  are  the  best  in  the  world,  and  cost  but  little 
more  than  the  commoner  ones  not  half  as  good. 

Another  very  useful  file  is  shaped  like  fig.  ii.  They  are 
called  rifflers,  or  bent  files,  and  are  very  desirable  for  smooth- 
ing the  hollow  surface  of  a  leaf  or  petal  of  a  flower  after  carv- 
ing, and  for  other  places  where  a  piece  of  flat  sand-paper  would 
not  reach.  They  can  be  procured  at  places  where  dental 
instruments  are  kept,  and  are  sold  for  about  twenty  cents  each. 
There  are  other  shapes  besides  the  one  figured. 


V. 


LL  edge-tools  require  frequent  sharpening.  A  dull  tool 
makes  hard  and  poor  work,  and  is  a  constant  aggrava- 
tion. To  keep  them  in  order,  an  oil-stone  must  be 
always  at  hand,  and  often  made  use  of.  Ouachita-stones,  three 
or  four  inches  long  and  two  or  three  wide,  may  be  purchased 
for  fifteen  or  twenty  cents,  and  will  serve  a  good  purpose  ;  but 
the  very  best  stones  are  Arkansas,  which  give  the  finest  and 
most  enduring  edge.  They  are  costly,  but  will  last  forever. 
One  of  the  size  mentioned  above  will  cost  nearly  a  dollar, 
and  will  be  entirely  satis- 
factory. They  should  be 
kept  in  a  box  to  preserve 
them  clean  and  free  from 
dust  and  grit;  and  the 
amateur  will  take  pleasure 
in  making  a  box  for  this 
purpose  himself  of  some 
pretty    wood.       Lay    the 

Fig.  12,    Oil-Stone  and  Box. 

stone  down  on  a  piece  of 

33 


34  FRET-SAWING  AND   WOOD-CARVING. 

wood  a  little  larger  than  itself,  and  mark  its  outline  on  the 
surface,  and  then  dig  it  out  with  a  chisel  to  about  half  the  depth 
of  the  stone.  Repeat  the  same  thing  for  a  cover ;  place  it  on 
the  stone,  and  plane  all  the  edges  of  the  box  even.  Give  it 
two  or  three  coats  of  shellac  inside  and  out,  and  your  stone  is 
safe  from  dirt,  and  breakage  from  a  chance  fall.  Besides  the 
oil-stone,  it  is  well  to  have  a  small  block  of  wood,  upon  the-  top 
of  which  is  glued  a  piece  of  soft,  thick  leather,  moistened  with 
oil,  and  sprinkled  with  fine  emery-powder.  This  may  have  a 
cover  also.  Keep  a  little  vial  of  sweet  oil,  neat's-foot,  or  even 
kerosene,  always  at  hand.  Put  a  few  drops  on  the  oil-stone,  lay 
the  bevelled  or  sloping  edge  of  your  chisels  and  gouges  flat  on 
the  stone,  holding  them  steadily  with  both  hands,  and  not  bear- 
ing too  hard,  and  move  them  to  and  fro  ;  being  careful  to  slowly 
rock  the  gouges  from  side  to  side,  so  as  to  bring  every  part  of 
their  rounded  edges  successively  tq  bear  upon  the  stone.  Try 
the  edge  occasionally  by  drawing  it  across  a  shaving,  or  piece 
of  paper,  and  continue  the  whetting  till  it  makes  an  even,  clean, 
sharft  cut.  The  other  side  of  the  chisel  will  need  a  few  touches 
on  the  stone ;  and  the  inside  of  the  gouges  and  parting-tool  will 
require  rubbing  with  a  slip  of  Arkansas-stone  ground  to  fit  the 
curves  and  angles  ;  the  gouges  being  held  in  the  left  hand,  and 
the  slip  applied  with  the  right,  taking  care  that  the  fingers  are 
kept  well  back,  and  out  of  reach  in  case  of  a  chance  slip  of  the 
tool.  After  getting  a  satisfactory  edge  by  the  above  means, 
draw  the  tools  a  few  times  over  the  leather  and  emery,  and  they 


SHARPENING   TOOLS.  31? 

can  be  kept  in  good  condition  with  but  little  trouble.  Keep 
the  edges  of  all  tools  protected  from  injury  or  rubbing  against 
each  other ;  and  it  is  well  to  place  them,  after  using,  in  a  box  or 
rack,  where  they  will  be  safe.  It  is  a  comparatively  easy  thir;g 
to  keep  them  in  order,  but  a  more  difficult  one  to  repair  the 
effects  of  rough  usage. 

The  oil-slip  previously  mentioned  (see  fig.  13) 
is  a  piece  of  stone  about  two  inches  long,  and 
one  wide,  shaped  like  a  thick  knife-blade;  the 
edge  for  whetting  the  inner  angle  of  the  parting- 
tool,  and  the  thick  rounded  back  for  the  inside  of 
the  gouges.  It  is  still  better  if  made  tapering,  the 
thin  end  for  the  small  gouges,  and  the  thick  end 
for  the  large  ones.     They  cost  twenty-five  or  thirty 

cents.  Fig.  13.  Oil-Slip. 


VL 

[OR  fret-sawing  and  carving,  the  most  desirable  and  easily 
procured  wood  is  black  walnut,  sawed  not  more  than  one- 
fourth  of  an  inch  in  thickness,  and  planed  smooth  on 
both  sides.  This  wood  is  of  universal  popularity ;  and  the  ease 
with  which  it  is  worked,  and  its  handsome  dark  color  and  beau- 
tiful grain,  make  it  very  suitable  for  all  kinds  of  household 
adornment.  It  should  cost  about  from  six  to  ten  cents  per 
square  foot,  of  the  thickness  named. 

White  holly  is  another  very  popular  wood  ;  but  it  is  more 
difficult  to  procure,  except  in  large  towns  where  there  is  a 
demand  for  it  for  fret-sawing  and  carving  purposes.  When 
freshly  cut,  this  wood  has  a  light  creamy  tint,  almost  white  in 
fact ;  and  the  grain  is  nearly  as  fine  and  close  as  ivory.  If 
exposed  to  the  air  it  gradually  discolors,  particularly  in  rooms 
where  gas  is  burned  ;  and  it  is  well  to  give  it  a  coat  of  bleached 
shellac  if  it  is  desirable  to  preserve  the  fresh  white  color.  It 
makes  a  good  contrast  with  black  walnut,  rosewood,  or  other 
dark  woods ;  and  work  done  in  it,  and  glued  on  a  dark  back- 
36 


PLATE    IV. 


TABLE    EASEL 


WOODS.  37 

ground  of  any  of  the  above-mentioned  woods,  wUl  be  found 
very  effective. 

White  holly  comes  occasionally  as  wide  as  ten  or  twelve 
inches  ;  but  it  is  a  very  difficult  wood  to  keep  in  stock,  as  it  both 
warps  and  splits,  and  it  is  so  hard  as  to  be  troublesome  to  plane. 
Indeed,  it  cannot  be  planed  perfectly  smooth,  but  must  be 
finished  with  a  scraper ;  and  a  skilful  cabinet-maker  is  the  only 
person  likely  to  make  a  satisfactory  job  of  it.  It  would  be  well, 
when  buying  it,  to  get  it  at  places  where  it  is  kept  planed  and 
ready  for  use.  It  costs,  when  prepared,  from  ten  to  fifteen  cents 
per  square  foot,  for  thicknesses  from  one-eighth  to  one-quarter 
of  an  inch. 

Maple  is  fine  grained,  and  sometimes  handsomely  figured,  but 
is  rather  hard  to  work  ;  the  saw  seeming  to  drag  in  working  it,  in 
a  very  tiresome  manner.  It  would  be  useless  to  try  to  cut  with 
a  hand-saw  a  greater  thickness  than  about  three-sixteenths  of  an 
inch  ;  and  that  would  be  very  difficult  for  a  design  of  considera- 
ble size.     It  costs  from  six  to  ten  cents. 

Cherry  and  mahogany  are  both  excellent  for  our  purposes. 
They  are  somewhat  similar  in  color,  and  work  well.  Cherry, 
being  a  native  wood,  is  the  cheaper,  costing  from  five  to  ten 
cents.     Mahogany  is  about  three  times  as  expensive. 

Rosewood  can  be  gotten  in  thicknesses  of  a  quarter  inch 
and  less,  at  from  forty  cents  down.  It  is  usually  seen  in 
veneers,  but  is  occasionally  useful  for  a  handsome  piece  of  fret- 
work, or  to  contrast  with  other  woods.  It  is  very  fragrant  also, 
4 


38  FRET-SAWING   AND   WOOD-CARVING. 

and  should  be  oiled  and  polished,  instead  of  varnished,  to  bring 
out  this  quality. 

Red  cedar  is  a  beautiful  and  fragrant  native  wood,  known  to 
us  usually  in  lead-pencils.  Its  Jhandsome  mottles  and  purple 
stripes  fade  on  exposure  to  the  light,  and  even  varnish  does  not 
protect  it  long.  It  is  a  delightful  wood  to  whittle,  but  rather 
hard  to  work,  from  a  gritty  brittleness  which  causes  it  to  splinter 
under  the  tools.  It  will  do  for  fret-sawing,  but  is  poor  for 
carving.     It  is  also  costly. 

Satin-\yood  is  another  very  handsome  variety  of  a  yellow  tint, 
with  a  fine  grain,  and  beautiful  markings  ;  and  is  suitable  for  all 
kinds  of  fret-work,  or  for  panelling  in  contrast  with  darker 
woods.  It  is  delightfully  fragrant  when  being  cut ;  but  the  fine 
dust  from  the  saw  is  said  to  be  so  poisonous,  that  some  work- 
men at  the  mills  object  to  working  it  in  any  quantities.  We 
have  not  experienced  any  effects  from  this  cause,  and  do  not 
think  any  fears  need  bCxfelt  by  the  amateur  on  this  account.  A 
satin-wood  panel  with  ornaments  of  ebony  veneer,  the  whole 
finely  sand-papered  and  shellacked,  is  extremely  effective,  and 
not  so  often  seen  that  one  is  apt  to  tire  of  it. 

Olive-wood  can  be  gotten  in  the  cities  ;  and,  if  pieces  can  be 
procured  which  were  brought  from  the  Holy  Land,  it  can  be 
put  to  most  appropriate  use  in  making  the  carved  sides  for  a 
prayer-book  or  Bible,  or  in  making  crosses,  buttons,  and  other 
ornaments  for  personal  use.  The  wood  is  very  handsome,  and 
works  well  either  to  saw  or  carve.     The  Holy  Land  wood  is 


WOODS. 


39 


expensive  ;  and  we  have  paid  as  high  as  three  dollars  per  square 
foot  for  selected  pieces  only  one-eighth  of  an  inch  thick. 

Last,  but  not  by  any  means  least,  must  be  mentioned  the 
Spanish  cedar,  popularly  known  as  cigar-box  wood,  which  is 
one  of  the  best,  as  well  as  the  cheapest  we  can  get.  At  the 
factories  where  the  boxes  are  made,  it  is  possible  to  procure 
very  fine  pieces,  sometimes  with  beautiful  mottles  and  curls  like 
the  fancy  maples,  the  effect  of  which  when  polished,  and  coated 
with  shellac,  is  not  surpassed  by  any  common  wood.  Indeed, 
its  appearance  is  so  changed  by  sandpaper  and  polish,  that  it  is 
rarely  recognized  by  those  persons  who  are  only  familiar  with 
it  in  its  usual  rough  state  ;  and  it  thoroughly  well  repays  the 
trouble.  It  is  very  pleasant  and  easy  to  work,  and  has  an  odor 
which  to  us  is  very  agreeable.  It  costs,  in  the  usual  thickness 
for  cigar-boxes,  about  ten  cents  per  foot. 

When  a  factory  is  not  accessible,  one  can  buy,  for  a  few  cents, 
empty  boxes  at  the  cigar-stores  where  they  are  usually  glad  to 
get  rid  of  them  ;  our  modern  revenue  laws  not  permitting  the 
boxes  to  be  used  a  second  time  for  the  packing  of  cigars.  In- 
sert the  blade  of  a  stiff  table-knife  in  the  joints  of  the  box,  and 
carefully  pry  it  apart  without  breaking  the  wood  ;  and  throw  all 
the  pieces  into  a  tub  of  water,  and  let  them  remain  an  hour  or 
more  to  thoroughly  soak  off  the  paper  strips  with  which  the 
edges  are  bound.  The  wood  should  be  dried  by  standing  it  up 
on  edge.  If  the  pieces  are  laid  fiat,  or  piled  on  top  of  each 
other,  they  do  not  dry  rapidly,  and  are  liable  to  warp. 


40  FRET-SAWING   AND   WOOD-CARVING. 

These  directions  may  seem  diffuse  for  the  performance  of  so 
simple  a  thing.  But  it  is  a  vexatious  job  to  attempt  to  scrape 
the  paper  off  while  dry,  and  it  is  worse  to  leave  it  on  a  piece  of 
work,  and  then  mar  the  good  effect  of  it  by  attempting  to  remove 
it  after  sawing ;  the  paste  used  to  fasten  the  paper  strips  on 
cigar-boxes  being  as  tenacious  as  a  dog's  bad  name. 

Pine  is  sometimes  used,  and  afterwards  stained  in  imitation 
of  hard  wood  ;  but  it  seems  hardly  worth  the  trouble  when  the 
others  can  be  gotten.  Clear  pine  looks  much  better  shellacked 
or  varnished,  the  stain  not  taking  well  unless  so  dark  as  to 
obscure  the  figure  of  the  wood. 


All  the  above-mentioned  woods,  and  many  more  beautiful 
kinds,  can  be  had  in  veneers  of  about  a  sixteenth  or  twelfth  of  an 
inch  in  thickness,  at  a  trifling  price  ;  and  very  handsome  effects 
are  produced  by  the  contrasts  of  selected  pijeces.  Initials, 
monograms,  or  silhouettes,  in  white  holly  on  walnut,  rosewood, 
or  ebony  ;  or  ebony  on  satin-wood  or  curled  ash,  —  make  very 
beautiful  ornaments.  Veneers  of  white  holly  or  ash  can  be 
gotten  dyed  in  various  high  colors  ;  and  those  who  have  travelled 
in  some  of  the  Pullman  day-cars  may  have  noticed  the  effect 
of  those  dyed  woods  used  as  inlays  around  the  door-casings,  &c. 
Most  of  these  colors  are  nehrly  or  quite  permanent.  The  pur- 
ples, however,  are   not,  and  possibly  the  blues.     It  would  be 


WOODS.  41 

well  to  assure  one's  self  of  the  fact  of  their  stability  before  using 
them  on  a  piece  of  work  of  any  great  extent. 

If  two  or  more  pieces  of  veneer  of  different  kinds  or  colors 
are  laid  on  top  of  each  other,  and  sawed  out  at  the  same  time, 
particularly  when  the  treadle-machine  is  used,  the  saw  of  which 
cuts  exactly  at  right  angles  to  the  surface  of  the  wood,  the 
pieces  or  figures  which  are  cut  out  of  one  will  just  fit  into  the 
other,  and  can  thus  be  transposed,  and  the  light  ones  inlaid 
into  the  dark,  or  vice  versa  ;  and  thus  several  examples  of  the 
same  pattern  can  be  done  at  once.  With  the  hand-saws,  this  is 
more  difficult  to  accomplish,  and  will  require  considerable 
experience  to  make  the  pieces  fit  with  some  accuracy.  The 
effect,  however,  is  so  good,  that  it  is  worth  while  trying  even 
without  a  treadle-machine ;  and  if  a  simple  design  is  chosen  at 
first,  and  the  work  carefully  executed,  a  fair  amount  of  success 
may  be  expected. 

The  common  kinds  of  veneers  cost  but  a  few  cents  per  square 
foot ;  those  dyed  in  high  colors  are  about  twenty-five  or  thirty 
cents  for  the  same  quantity. 

All  woods  should  be  well  seasoned,  or,  after  spending  a  good 
deal  of  time  and  trouble  in  working  them,  they  will  be  sure  to 
become  defaced  with  cracks  or  warps,  a  particularly  unpleasant 
occurrence  when  one  has  made  a  pretty  piece  of  work  for  a 
present.  The  only  sure  way  to  present  this  unfortunate  result 
is,  to  get  a  quantity  of  wood,  and  keep  it  in  the  house  as  long  as 


42  FRET-SAWING    AND    WOOD-CARVING. 

possible  before  using ;  two  or  three  years  is  not  too  much ;  and, 
if  the  house  is  heated  by  a  furnace  in  winter,  so  much  the  better, 
the  dry  air  from  a  register  being  a  great  seasoner. 

It  is  said  that  small  pieces  of  wood  may  be  rapidly  seasoned 
by  boiling  in  clean  fresh  water  for  four  or  five  hours  ;  the  boiling 
taking  the  sap  out  of  the  wood,  and  making  it  dry  and  hard. 
The  wood  shrinks  considerably  under  this  treatment,  for  which 
due  allowance  must  be  made.  We  have  tried  this  process  in 
one  instance  only,  on  white  holly,  which  was  somewhat  stained 
and  discolored,  in  consequence,  perhaps,  of  having  been  boiled 
in  an  iron  pot.  We  would  recommend  a  vessel  of  tin  for  light- 
colored  woods. 

Thin  woods  particularly  are  liable  to  warp,  and  it  is  often 
necessary  to  straighten  them.  This  may  sometimes  be  effected 
by  holding  them  in  front  of  a  fire,  the  convex  side  exposed  to 
the  heat,  as  close  as  it  is  safe  to  place  them  ;  or,  damp  a  place 
on  a  board  floor,  or  lay  a  damp  cloth  on  it,  and  place  the  wood 
over  it  concave  side  down,  and  put  a  moderate  weight  on  top  of 
it.  In  either  case  the  work  must  be  watched ;  and,  when  the 
wood  has  regained  its  desired  condition,  it  must  be  removed,  and, 
if  it  has  been  damped,  it  must  be  put  on  edge  to  dry.  If  left 
too  long,  it  will  of  course  go  the  other  way. 


END    FOR    BOOK    SLIDE, 


VII. 
(Slue,  IS^antbl^,  ^ilinjg  unb  ipoltsljiitg. 

GLUE-POT  is  a  necessary  accompaniment  to  our  other 
appliances  ;  and  tliere  is  such  a  variety  of  them  kept  for 
sale  at  the  stores  that  it  is  easy  to  provide  one.  The 
essential  parts  are  a  cup  for  the  glue,  and  another  one  larger 
for  water ;  the  glue-cup  being  placed  in  the  water-vessel,  and 
both  set  on  the  stove.  This  is  very  necessary  to  prevent  burn- 
ing. The  glue  may  be  put  in  a  china,  or  glass  cup,  or  tumbler, 
and  heated  in  any  convenient  article  of  tin  or  iron  which  can 
be  set  over  the  fire,  and  is  to  be  applied  hot. 

In  choosing  glue,  select  the  lightest  colored.  It  costs  a  little 
more  than  the  dark,  but  is  probably  purer  and  stronger.  Break 
it  in  small  bits,  put  it  into  the  cup,  just  cover  it  with  cold  water, 
and  place  it  to  heat.  When  in  the  right  condition  for  use,  it 
should  be  about  as  thick  as  thin  molasses,  —  rather  a  difficult 
point  to  describe,  but  a  little  practice  will  get  it  right.  If  too 
thick  it  clogs  the  work ;  and  if  too  thin  and  watery  it  does  not 
possess  proper  adhesive  qualities.  If  the  articles  admit  of  it, 
it  is  well  to  heat  the  pieces  before  applying  the  glue,  and  use 

43 


44  FRET-SAWING  AND   WOOD-CARVING. 

no  more  than  is  necessary  to  give  a  thin  coating.  Press  the 
pieces  firmly  together,  and  hold  them  tight  for  a  few  moments 
with  the  fingers,  or  bind  them  with  a  string,  or  use  the  clamps 
described  elsewhere.  The  latter  is  the  best  method ;  and  the 
clamps  may  be  left  on,  if  possible,  all  night. 

In  glueing  veneers,  fastening  small  panels,  and  the  like,  apply 
the  hot  glue,  fix  the  panel  in  place,  and  rub  it  down  with  any 
smooth  hard  implement,  forcing  the  surplus  glue  out  under  the 
edges.  Continue  this  rubbing  till  the  glue  has  set,  or  hardened 
sufficiently  to  keep  the  veneer  closely  down.  All  the  surplus 
glue  which  runs  over  the  edges,  must  be  removed  either  by  scrap- 
ing away  after  it  hardens,  or  with  a  cloth  moistened  with  warm 
water  while  it  is  yet  soft.  This  latter  method  roughs  up  the 
surface  of  the  wood,  and  is  not  always  admissible. 

Glued  articles,  when  exposed  to  changes  of  temperature,  are 
apt  to  draw  apart ;  and  it  is  well,  when  the  nature  of  the  work 
permits,  after  glueing  on  the  ornaments,  to  drill  a  hole  through 
them  from  the  back,  but  not  so  deep  as  to  show  on  the  exterior, 
and  put  in  a  small  peg  of  hard  wood  well  covered  with  glue. 
Work  so  fastened  will  stand  almost  any  thing.  Of  course,  the 
wood  must  be  thicker  than  veneer  for  this  treatment. 

Any  good  varnish  may  be  used  ;  but  the  most  convenient  will 
probably  be  found  to  be  that  made  of  shellac  dissolved  in  alco- 
hol. This  is  readily  made  at  home,  of  any  desired  quantity 
and  color ;  and  for  this  purpose  procure  a  small  wide-mouthed 


GLUE,    VARNISH,    OILING   AND    POLISHING.  45 

bottle  (two-ounce  is  large  enough  for  small  work),  and  fill  it  two- 
thirds  full  of  gum  shellac  broken  in  bits.  Cover  with  strong 
alcohol,  and  cork  it  up,  shaking  occasionally,  and,  if  you  are  in 
a  hurry,  placing  the  bottle  in  a  warm  place.  It  will  dissolve  in 
twenty-four  hours  or  so,  and  may  then  be  thinned  by  the  addition 
of  more  alcohol  if  necessary.  It  is  better  to  use  it  thin,  and  put 
on  several  coats,  than  to  try  and  get  the  effect  with  one  thick 
one.  If  you  are  doing  a  nice  job,  like  a  box-cover,  or  a  panel, 
after  putting  on  several  coats,  you  can  rub  it  down  with  a  piece 
of  very  fine  sand  or  emery  paper,  and  finish  with  one  more  thin 
coat.  This  takes  out  all  the  brush-marks,  and  leaves  a  perfectly 
flat  and  even  polished  surface. 

The  alcohol  used  to  dissolve  shellac  must  be  strong  and  pure, 
what  druggists  call  alcohol  of  95  per  cent.  If  it  is  thinned  or 
watered,  it  will  not  dissolve  the  gum. 

Use  a  small,  flat  brush  ;  and,  when  through,  wash  the  brush  by 
pouring  on  it  a  few  drops  of  alcohol,  and  wiping  dry. 

Shellac  may  also  be  applied  with  a  pad  of  cotton  done  up  in 
a  soft  linen  rag,  and  laid  on  with  a  quick  circular  movement, 
and  the  rag  kept  moistened  wrth  alcohol  applied  very  carefully, 
drop  by  drop.  If  too  much  alcohol  is  used,  it  re-dissolves  the 
gum,  and  spoils  the  effect ;  and  yet  the  gum  must  not  be  allowed 
to  get  so  dry  as  to  be  streaky.  Experience  and  good  judgment 
alone  will  make  a  success  of  this  method ;  but  for  a  flat  panel 
nothing  short  of  real  French  polishing  will  produce  so  good  an 
effect.     On  irregular  surfaces,  the  brush  must  be  used  of  neces- 


46  FRET-SAWING   AND   WOOD-CARVING. 

sity.  Shellac  dries  so  rapidly  that  the  difficulty  in  this  process 
is  to  do  it  quickly  enough.  There  are  two  kinds  of  shellac,  — 
the  dark,  which  is  of  a  mahogany  color,  and  is  suitable  for  all 
dark  woods ;  and  the  bleached,  which  is  of  a  light  creamy  tint, 
and  is  excellent  on  light  woods  and  dyed  veneers. 

Many  pieces  of  work  look  better  with  a  dead  oiled  surface 
than  with  a  polished  one  ;  and  for  this  purpose  nothing  is  better 
than  raw  linseed-oil  applied  with  a  soft  rag,  and  well  rubbed  in, 
and  this  repeated  as  often  as  is  necessary  to  get  a  good  finish. 

Polishing  wood  is  a  high  art,  in  which  great  success  is  only 
attainable  by  the  most  cunning  and  crafty  workmen  ;  but  this 
should  not  discourage  the  careful  and  ambitious  amateur  from 
making  the  attempt,  in  special  cases  when  a  high  finish  is  desir- 
able, with  a  confident  prospect  of  measurable  success. 

Prepare  the  wood  for  polishing 'by  using  the  finest  sand  or 
glass  paper,  and  rubbing  it  till  all  tool  marks  and  scratches  are 
absolutely  obliterated. 

French  polish  is  purchased  at  drug  or  art  stores,  of  two  kinds, 
light  and  dark,  for  woods  of  those  respective  shades. 

To  apply  it,  make  a  pad  of  a  small  tuft  of  cotton-wool  folded 
in  a  soft  old  linen  rag,  the  folds  of  the  rag  at  the  back  serving 
for  a  handle.  Cotton  cloth  will  do  also,  but  the  linen  is  freer 
from  lint. 

Moisten  the  bunch  of  cotton  with  the  polish,  and  place  it  in 
the  folds  of  the  rag,  squeezing  it  slightly  to  force  the  polish  to 


GLUE,    VARNISH,    OILING   AND    POLISHING.  47 

soak  through,  and  apply  to  the  outside  of  the  rag  a  drop  or  two 
of  raw  linseed-oil.  Sweet-oil  may  be  used,  but  linseed  dries 
harder,  and  gives  a  more  durable  surface.  If  the  oil  is  applied 
to  the  pad  by  dipping  in  the  bottle  a  small  broom-straw,  and 
putting  on  only  the  drop  which  adheres  to  it,  too  much  will  not 
be  used  ;  the  object  of  the  oil  being  merely  to  make  the  pad  slip 
easily  over  the  surface  of  the  wood,  and  as  little  should  be  used 
as  will  barely  accomplish  this  result. 

With  the  pad  thus  charged,  rub  it  on  the  wood  with  a  circular 
motion  till  it  is  all  covered,  charging  the  cotton  occasionally 
with  the  polish,  and  the  rag  with  the  oil. 

The  first  coat  will  sink  into  the  wood,  and  produce  but  little 
effect.  Allow  it  to  dry  ;  and  repeat  the  operation  as  many  times 
as  may  be  necessary  to  produce  a  surface  which  wi'll  reflect 
light  like  a  mirror,  and  in  which  you  can  see  your  face.  Two 
or  three  applications  will  ordinarily  produce  this  result ;  an  open 
porous  wood,  requiring  more  than  a  hard  fine-grained  one. 

If  greasy  white  streaks  show  themselves,  it  is  evidence  that 
too  much  oil  is  used,  and  they  must  be  gently  rubbed  out  with- 
out oiling  the  pad. 

This  process  is  of  course  only  suitable  for  flat  surfaces,  panels, 
and  the  like  ;  though  wood  which  is  to  be  used  for  plain  fret- 
sawing  may  be  partially  prepared  by  receiving  one  or  two  coats 
before  sawing,  and  a  finishing  one  afterwards,  it  being  very  dif- 
ficult otherwise  to  polish  sawed  work. 


VIII. 


Copnnt0  anb  Cruitsferrhtcj  patterns. 

g^  ELECT  one  of  the  designs  given  here  ;  and,  if  some  little 
<^^  knowledge  of  drawing  is  possessed,  the  pattern  may  be 
'^  copied  off  on  a  separate  piece  of  paper,  and  enlarged  to 
any  desired  dimensions. 

A  common  method  of  enlarging 
designs  is  given  in  fig.  14,  which  is 
a  leaf  of  the  horse-chestnut,  of  which 
it  is  desired  to  make  a  copy  twice, 
the   size   of    the    original.      Draw 
over   the   pattern   any   number   of 
straight   lines    at    equal   distances 
apart,  and  intersect  them  at  right 
angles  by  other  lines  at  similar  dis- 
tances. A  convenient  distance  apart  for  the  lines 
would  be  one  inch,  or  some  even   part   of   an 
inch.      Draw  on    another   piece   of    paper   the 
squares  as  many  times  larger  or  smaller,  as  it  is 

.  1  ,         /.  ,      ^"•-  ■4'    Trans- 

desired   to   enlarge   or   reduce  the  figure;  and  fkrring Patterns. 
48 


/ 

\ 

/ 

\ 

^ 

\ 

/ 

^ 

71 

\ 

^ 

A 

k 

% 

I 

-^ 

\ 

^ 

k 

^ 

^ 

\ 

'^ 

% 

y 

/  f 


PLATE    VI. 


PICTURE   FRAME. 


COPYING    AND   TRANSFERRING    PATTERNS.  49 

copy  by  hand  the  pattern,  putting  those  parts  which  fall  in 
any  particular  square  of  the  original  in  the  corresponding 
square  of  the  second  figure.  By  this  simple  method  any  sort 
of  designs  may  be  made  available  to  suit  our  particular  needs, 
and  a  very  slight  knowledge  of  drawing  will  be  all  that  is 
necessary. 

A  pair  of  dividers,  or  compasses,  and  a  parallel  ruler,  will  be 
found  very  useful  for  many  purposes  in  doing  nice  work,  besides 
their  help  in  copying  or  transferring  patterns. 

Having  gotten  the  pattern  satisfactorily  arranged,  the  next 
process  is  to  transfer  it  to  the  wood.  This  may  be  done  in  the 
same  way  if  the  wood  is  light  colored  enough  to  take  pencil- 
marks.  Or  the  pattern  may  be  carefully  cut  out  with  the  sharp 
point  of  a  knife,  and  used  as  a  stencil,  from  which  to  make  a 
tracing  on  the  wood.  Or  what  is  called  transfer-paper  may 
be  laid  on  the  wood,  the  pattern  over  it,  and  the  lines  of  the 
design  marked  over  with  a  hard,  sharp  point  of  any  kind 
which  will  leave  an  impression  from  the  transfer-paper.  Or 
the  pattern  may  be  laid  down,  and  the  lines  pricked  through 
with  a  pin-point,  and  the  pin-marks  afterwards  joined  by  pencil- 
marks. 

These  methods  all  preserve  the  pattern  for  future  use  ;  but 
as  printed  patterns  cost  but  a  trifle,  and  it  may  not  be  worth 
while  always  to  take  this  trouble,  the  pattern  itself  may  be 
gummed  on  to  the  wood,  or,  better  still,  fastened  with  tacks, 
and  the  whole  thing  sawed  out  together.  What  are  known 
S 


•50  FRET-SAWING  AND   WOOD-CARVING. 

as  drawing-tacks  are  most  convenient  for  this  purpose,  though 
the  common  kind  will  answer  nearly  as  well.  When  tacks  are 
used,  they  should  be,  as  "far  as  possible,  driven  into  the  waste 
wood,  so  that  the  holes  left  by  them  may  not  mar  the  finished 
work. 


IX. 

j^  EFORE  commencing  on  real  work,  it  would  be  well  for  the 
jF^    beginner  to  make  a  few  experiments  on  pieces  of  suitable 
material,  to  get  somewhat  familiar  with  the  motion  of  the 
saw,  and  the  handling  of  the  other  tools. 

Take  the  saw-frame,  and  fix  in  a  saw-blade,  putting  the  teeth 
outward  and  downward.  Clamp  the  lower  end  of  the  saw  first. 
Put  the  upper  end  of  the  saw-frame  against  some  fixed  object, 
and  spring  it  slightly  while  the  other  end  of  the  blade  is  being 
secured  by  the  other  clamp.  This  will  bring  a  strain  on  the 
blade  so  that  when  picked  by  the  finger  it  will  twang  like  a 
guitar-string ;  and  is  necessary,  because  the  blade  has  no  stiff- 
ness of  itself.  The  clamps  need  to  be  tightly  secured,  or  the 
saw-blade  will  occasionally  slip  out. 

The  wood  is  laid  on  the  table  or  saw-horse,  the  part  to  be 
worked  on  projecting  far  enough  over  the  edge  to  allow  the  saw 
to  have  free  movement.  Commence  on  the  outer  edge,  and 
follow  the  lines  around,  working  the  saw  up  and  down  with  a 
quick,  energetic  motion  of  the  right  hand  ;  turning  the  work,  and 

51 


52  FRET-SAWING   AND   WOOD-CARVING. 

feeding  it  to  the  saw,  with  the  left.  After  finishing  the  outline 
(or  before,  as  may  be  convenient),  drill  holes  through  all  the 
spaces  within,  which  are  to  be  cut  out.  Unclamp  the  upper 
end  of  the  saw-blade,  put  it  through  one  of  the  holes,  and  again 
clamp  it  fast.  Saw  out  this  part,  and  so  on  successively  till 
the  pattern  is  complete.  If  the  pattern  has  been  gummed  on, 
damp  the  waste  paper  slightly,  scrape  it  off,  or  lay  it  on  a  sheet 
of  sand-paper,  and  rub  it  off. 

Unless  great  care  has  been  taken,  and  the  lines  of  the  pattern 
most  accurately  followed,  it  will  be  found  that  there  are  little 
ugly  irregularities  in  the  sawing,  which  seriously  interfere  with 
its  symmetrical  appearance.  These  are  to  be  carefully  removed 
with  the  little  files ;  and,  when  one  side  of  the  wood  does  not 
quite  agree  with  the  same  parts  on  the  other  side,  the  files  are 
to  be  used  till  a  satisfactory  regularity  and  evenness  is  obtained. 
The  curves  are  all  to  be  made  regular  and  even,  the  points 
sharp  and  true,  and  the  angles  clean  and  open. 

This  careful  after-finish  should  be  regarded  as  very  important. 
The  work  often  sold  in  the  shops  is  left  just  in  the  condition  in 
which  it  came  from  the  saw,  with  the  edges  rough  and  irregular, 
and  made  worse  by  the  swelling  action  of  the  moist  varnish 
upon  the  exposed  wood  fibres.  If  we  want  to  produce  work 
which  is  to  excel  all  this  poor  stuff,  we  can  easily  accomplish 
our  desire  by  the  careful  finish  recommended  ;  and  this  is  really 
the  best  evidence  of  skilled  labor. 

There  are  many  little  convenient  methods  of  work  which  are 


HOW.  TO   USE   THE   SAW.  55 

only  learned  by  experience,  and  each  one  is  apt  to  iind  his  own 
way  easiest,  even  if  not  the  simplest ;  but  some  little  points  will 
be  suggested  which  may  save  the  tyro  time  and  trouble. 

In  sawing  into  an  angle  of  any  acuteness,  it  will  be  found  that 
the  saw  cannot  be  readily  turned  without  destroying  the  sharp- 
ness of  the  angle.  In  such  a  case,  having  cut  up  one  side  into 
the  angle,  back  the  saw  out  a  little  way,  and  cut  across  the  waste 
wood  to  the  other  line,  and  follow  that  up  till  it  meets  the  first. 
Or  it  sometimes  answers  to  draw  the  saw  entirely  out  of  the 
angle,  turn  it  around,  and  put  it  in  backwards,  and  then  cut 
from  the  angle  outwards.  Occasionally  it  is  more  convenient 
to  saw  past  the  angle,  and  leave  it  till  there  is  no  wood  outside 
to  prevent  the  free  action  of  the  saw. 

In  turning  a  square  corner,  or  an  angle  of  90°,  saw  up  to  the 
point,  and  then  run  the  saw  up  and  down  a  few  times  without 
moving  the  wood,  till  a  little  space  is  cut  away  in  which  the 
saw-blade  can  be  turned  ready  to  follow  down  the  new  line.  A 
similar  process  will  carry  the  saw  around  a  projecting  point, 
taking  care  in  both  cases  that  the  space  cut  away  be  on  the  side 
of  the  line  within  the  waste  wood.  In  all  cases  it  is  recom- 
mended to  follow  the  line  with  the  saw  with  as  great  accuracy 
as  possible,  as  it  is  less  tedious  to  do  so  than  to  expend  the 
time  afterwards  finishing  with  the  file. 

In  using  the  smaller  patterns  of  hand-saws  in  cutting  out  the 
inside  portions  of  the  work,  it  will  frequently  be  found  that  the 
back  of  the  saw-frame  interferes,  and  it  may  be  necessary  to  put 


54  FRET-SAWING   AND   WOOD-CARVING. 

the  saw  into  the  frame  with  the  teeth  inward,  and  then  saw 
towards  you  from  in,  out ;  or  the  saw  may  be  put  in  with  the 
teeth  sideways ;  and  you  will  find  that,  changing  the  saw  around 
in  this  way,  you  can  do  much  larger  pieces  of  work  with  the 
same  tool  than  would  otherwise  be  possible. 

Feed  the  wood  to  the  saw  slowly,  and  be  careful  to  hold  the 
saw  as  nearly  perpendicular  as  possible. 

The  smaller  saw-frames  are  best  worked  as  one  naturally  uses 
any  saw,  with  the  hand  above  the  work ;  the  longer  ones,  figs.  2 
and  3,  are  operated  by  the  hand  below,  the  frames,  when  long 
enough  resting  on  the  arm.  In  this  latter  case  it  is  recom- 
mended to  have  the  work  on  a  higher  level  than  with  the  other 
saws,  either  by  using  a  high  table  or  a  low  seat.  The  exact 
adjustment  will,  of  course,  depend  upon  each  individual's  needs, 
but  the  work  should  be  so  arranged  that  stooping  over  it  will 
not  be  necessary. 


X. 

Pob  ta  mt  lljc  Carbmg-Coolisi. 

^1  FTER  the  sawing  is  finished,  the  carving-tools  may  be 
I  brought  into  requisition  for  further  embellishment.  With 
the  gouges  the  leaves  and  scroll-work  may  be  hollowed 
out  till  an  appearance  of  relief  is  attained.  The  veins  of  the 
leaves  may  be  put  in  with  a  few  strokes  of  the  parting  or  vein- 
ing  tool ;  or  the  more  prominent  one,  the  midrib  of  large  leaves, 
may  be  left  in  relief,  and  the  adjoining  wood  slightly  cut  away 
with  the  flat  or  firmer  chisels.  Stems,  or  other  parts  of  the 
design  which  cross  or  intersect  each  other,  may  be  made  to 
seem  to  pass  behind  one  another  by  appropriately  cutting  away 
and  thus  depressing  the  adjacent  wood ;  and  fruit  and  berries 
may  be  given  their  rounded  forms.  The  scroll-work  carvings 
on  the  many  articles  of  household  furniture  which  are  so  abun- 
dant will  give  hints  of  how  these  effects  are  gained ;  and  a  few 
moments'  careful  observation  in  a  picture  or  furniture  store  will 
add  very  much  to  the  value  of  any  written  instructions. 

The  work  to  be  carved  should  be  securely  fixed  by  one  of  the 
methods  previously  noted,  and  the  carving-tools  used  with  both 

55 


56  FRET-SAWING   AND    WOOD-CARVING. 

hands,  the  pahn  of  the  right  one  on  the  head  of  the  tool,  and 
the  side  of  the  left  hand  resting  on  the  work,  the  thumb  and 
lingers  turned  up,  and  supporting  the  blade,  and  acting  as  a 
guide  to  direct  the  push  of  the  right.  In  using  a  mallet  for 
cutting  away  a  large  quantity  of  surplus  wood,  the  tool  is  firmly 
grasped  by  the  left  hand,  and  light  blows  struck  upon  its  head 
with  the  right.  The  mallet  should  be  of  wood,  so  as  not  to 
spread  or. roughen  the  head  of  the  tool,  which  would  make  it 
unpleasant  afterwards  to  use  by  hand. 

In  all  carving,  the  work  should  be  done  slowly  and  with  care. 
If  a  part  is  accidentally  cut  away  which  should  have  been  left 
in  relief,  it  is  impossible  to  repair  the  damage :  hence,  when  it 
is  possible,  the  direction  of  the  cut  should  be  away  froVn,  rather 
than  towards,  the  elevated  parts ;  but  when  the  grain  of  the 
wood  makes  the  reverse  necessary,  cut  carefully,  and  stop  a 
little  short  of  the  line,  and  finish  up  afterwards  with  still  greater 
care. 

As  a  general  rule  cut  with  the  grain  of  the  wood  ;  though  if  it 
is  found  that  the  grain  dips  a  little,  and  is  taking  the  tool  deeper 
than  is  desired,  the  work  must  be  turned  around,  and  the  cut 
made  in  the  opposite  direction.  Sometimes  the  work  can  be 
advantageously  cut  across  the  grain  ;  but  the  tools  do  not  leave 
the  work  in  quite  as  good  condition  as  in  the  former  case,  and 
a  little  more  finish  is  required  afterwards. 

After  the  carving  is  finished,  and  not  before,  the  surface  of 
the  work  may  be  smoothed  with  fine  sand-paper,  assisted  by  the 


HOW   TO    USE   THE   CARVrNG-TOOLS.  57 

riffler  or  bent  files  in  the  depressions.  It  is  well  to  bear  this 
hint  in  mind,  and  not  use  sand-paper  till  the  carving  is  entirely 
finished :  otherwise  the  fine  grains  of  sand  are  apt  to  injure  the 
edges  of  the  tools. 

It  is  also  important  that  the  sand-paper  should  be  so  applied 
that  the  edges  of  the  work  are  left  sharp,  and  not  rounded  off ; 
a  result  which  more  than  any  thing  else  destroys  the  artistic 
effect  of  the  work. 

In  using  sand-paper  on  fret-work,  and  sometimes  on  the  higher 
surfaces  of  carved  work,  or  for  bringing  an  uneven  surface  to  a 
perfectly  flat  one,  the  best  way  is  to  lay  a  whole  sheet  of  the 
paper  on  a  flat  board,  fastening  the  edges  down  with  glue  or 
tacks,  and  then  rub  the  work  on  it,  and  always  with,  or  in  the 
direction  of,  the  grain  of  the  wood. 

Finally,  the  work  may  be  treated  with  oil  or  varnish,  as  before 
mentioned. 


XL 
gtscrrplmn;  jof  |piatts. 

XN  a  work  of  this  character,  intended  for  beginners,  it  has 
been  thought  well  to  give  a  brief  description  of  the  plates, 
and  some  hints  as  to  the  manner  of  working  them ;  though 
the  general  remarks  previously  made  will,  it  is  hoped,  be  nearly 
sufficient. 

Of  course  these  designs  are  given  more  as  hints  than  as 
examples  to  be  accurately  followed:  still  they  are  practical 
working  models,  and  will  look  very  much  better  in  wood  than 
they  do  here  on  paper.  This  last  remark  is  true  of  all  paper 
patterns :  they  are  very  much  handsomer  when  cut  out. 

If  the  smallest  sized  handsaw  is  the  implement^  used,  it  will 
not  work  to  advantage  on  wood  much  larger  than  that  required 
for  the  largest  design  here  given  ;  but  with  the  larger  styles  of 
saws,  or  with  a  machine,  these  patterns  may  be  enlarged  to  any 
desired  size. 

Plate  I,  of  carving-tools,  is  sufficiently  described  in  the  article 
on  Tools  and  Accessories  for  Carving. 

Plate  No.  2  is  one-half  of  a  bracket  intended  for  a  comer. 
The  other  half  is  a  repetition  of  this,  except  that  the  straight 
58 


PLATE    VII. 


WALL  POCKET. 


DESCRIPTION    OF    PLATES.  59 

side  on  the  left  is  to  be  made  as  much  wider  than  this  one,  as 
the  thickness  of  the  wood  of  which  it  is  made,  to  allow  for  the 
lap  of  the  two  parts  in  putting  together.  A  little  shelf  goes 
between  them,  fastened  to  the  crossbar ;  and  the  whole  may  be 
put  together  with  small  nails  like  those  used  in  cigar-boxes, 
or  with  screws,  which  is  better,  as  it  allows  the  bracket  to  be 
taken  apart  when  necessary. 

Take  a  piece  of  wood  of  the  necessary  size,  and  by  some  of 
the  methods  before  described,  transfer  the  design  to  the  wood. 
Commence  by  cutting  away  all  the  waste  wood  outside  of  the 
pattern.  Of  course  it  is  not  essential  that  this  should  "be  the 
first  step  ;  but,  if  the  waste  wood  is  gotten  rid  of,  it  will  allow 
the  freer  movement  of  the  saw  in  cutting  the  rest.  Drill  holes 
through  all  the  spaces,  and  cut  them  all  out  successively. 

Finish  with  files  and  sand-paper,  and  shellac  or  oil. 

Plate  No.  3  is  the  back  piece  of  an  ordinary  wall-bracket, 
currants  and  leaves.  The  front  piece,  which  supports  the  shelf, 
is  to  be  exactly  one-half  of  this  back  piece.  With  a  machine- 
saw  both  pieces  may  be  sawed  out  at  once.  The  shelf  is  made 
just  large  enough  to  cover  the  supports  ;  and  it  should  have  an 
irregular  outline,  something  like  what  carpenters  call  an  ogee. 
The  whole  work  may  be  left  flat  like  ordinary  fret-work,  or  the 
veins  of  the  leaves  may  be  carved  into  relief  by  cutting  away 
the  adjacent  wood,  or,  in  a  small  object  like  this,  they  may  be 
done  pretty  well  with  knife  and  files.  The  stems  may  be  more 
or  less  rounded,  and  the  berries  also.     ' 


6o  FRET-SAWING  AND   WOOD-CARVING. 

If  the  work  is  left  flat,  the  veins  may  be  sawed. 

Plate  No.  4  is  a  table  easel,  and  hardly  needs  much  comment. 
The  piece  upon  which  a  book  or  picture  is  to  rest  is  to  be  glued 
or  screwed  to  the  bar  on  the  lower  half ;  or  two  brass  nails  are 
to  be  inserted  for  the  same  purpose.  A  small  piece  of  wood  is 
to  be  glued  near  the  top  on  the  back,  to  which  the  leg  which 
supports  the  easel  on  the  table  is  to  be  fastened  with  a  hinge. 

The  pattern  is  to  be  entirely  sawed  out,  and  the  carving  done 
as  shown  to  give  the  appearance  of  ribbons  passing  in  and  out 
This  carving  is  very  easily  done ;  and,  as  the  drawing  shows,  adds 
very  greatly  to  the  attractiveness  of  the  finished  work.  Use  a  flat 
chisel,  and  make  the  first  cut  nearly  perpendicular,  and  from  a 
sixteenth  to  an  eighth  of  an  inch  in  depth,.according  to  the  thick- 
ness of  the  wood,  and  size  of  the  work.  The  second  cut  should 
be  from  the  outside  in  towards  the  first,  so  that  the  ribbon  will 
look  as  if  it  were  bent  under  the  first.  Be  careful,  in  cutting 
with  the  grain  of  the  wood,  not  to  go  too  deep  and  split  it  clear 
through ;  but,  if  such  an  accident  occurs,  take  a  little  glue  on  the 
end  of  a  knife-blade,  and  push  it  into  the  cleft  from  the  back, 
and  hold  it  tight  till  it  sets. 

Plate  No.  5  is  one  end  of  a  table  book-rack,  or  book-slide  as 
they  are  sometimes  called.  By  lengthening  the  lower  part  into 
little  legs,  and  putting  a  support  to  the  back,  it  would  also  do  for 
an  easel ;  and  the  circular  part  alone  would  make  a  table-mat 
for  a  vase.  Leaving  out  the  centre-piece,  and  perhaps  the 
inner  row  of  lacing,  it  might  make  a  frame  for  a  medallion,  or 
small  round  picture. 


DESCRIPTION    OF    PLATES.  6l 

For  a  book-rack  it  may  be  sawed  out  in  walnut  thick  enough 
to  make  a  substantial  article,  or  it  may  be  done  in  thin  holly  or 
other  wood,  and  glued  on  to  a  thicker  piece        i  ,_-- 

of  dark  wood.     In  the  latter  case,  both  sides  U 

may  be  sawed  at  once.  These  ends  are  to  !? 
be  fastened  with  hinges  to  a  strip  of  wood  ^ 
of  the  same  width  (see  fig.  15),  and  rather  > 
more  than  twice  as  long  as  their  united  length,    > 

X 

so  that  when  they  are   shut  down  they  will    | 

z 

lie  flat.      The  hinges  and   screws  should  be    ^ 

■•1 

countersunk,  so  that  the  bindings  of  books  will  ^ 

not  be  injured.     Any  initial  or  monogram  may  h 

be  put  in  the  centre,  and  the  shield  may  be  of  5* 

a  different  colored  wood.     The  bands  of  the  « 

lace  or  basket  work  are  all  to  be  carved  to  11 

give  them  the   appearance  of  passing  in  and       f,  -t=ii- 


out,  as  before   explained. 

'  Plate  No.  6  is  a  design  for  a  picture-frame,  which  maybe  mod- 
ified in  many  ways  by  simply  changing  the  arrangement  of  the 
border  and  panels. 

The  foundation  is  of  walnut  or  other  dark  wood,  the  orna- 
mental edging  and  carvings  are  of  white  holly,  and  the  panels 
under  the  carvings  may  be  of  any  contrasting  veneer. 

Saw  out  first  the  walnut  of  one  piece.  The  edges  outside  of 
the  line  of  ornaments  would  be  better  bevelled  off  as  indicated. 
The  holly  edge,  if  the  frame  is  small,  may  be  of  a  single  piece 
also  ;  but  it  is  safer,  perhaps,  and  rather  less  trouble,  to  make  it 


62  FRET-SAWING   AND    WOOD-CARVING. 

of  pieces,  say  four  parts,  top,  bottom,  and  two  sides ;  joining 
them  where  the  lines  cross,  and  make  a  natural  break.  After 
sawing  and  fitting  the  ends  close  and  true,  glue  it  in  place  upon 
the  walnut,  and  scrape  off  all  surplus  glue.  Then  with  a  flat 
chisel  or  knife-blade,  carve  the  lines  so  as  to  make  them  pass 
in  and  out,  as  in  the  other  examples. 

Veneer  for  the  panels  should  contrast  well  in  color  with  both 
the  walnut  and  holly.  Something  of  a  tint  between  the  two, 
satin-wood,  cedar,  curled  maple,  or  some  of  the  stained  holly, 
would  look  well ;  and  each  piece  is  to  be  cut  out  exactly  the 
size  to  fill  the  space,  and  glued  in. 

White  holly  is  the  best  wood  for  the  little  carvings.  The 
upper  ones  are  meant  for  pansics,  and  the  others  for  the  daisy, 
or  whiteweed.  If  you  will  look  at  the  flowers  themselves,  you 
will  see  at  once  how  the  petals  ar,e  laid,  one  over  or  against  the 
next ;  and  it  is  only  necessary  to  imitate  the  arrangement  to  the 
best  of  your  ability  to  get  as  natural  and  truthful  an  effect  as 
possible.  The  leaves  are  very  slightly  carv'ed  with  a  small 
gouge,  leaving  the  midrib  prominent,  and  sloping  the  veining 
down  and  away  from  it. 

If  these  little  ornaments  do  not  stick  well,  as  is  the  case 
sometimes  with  amateurs'  glueing,  see  directions  before  given 
for  fastening  them  with  pegs  from  the  back. 

A  recess  at  the  back  is  necessary  to  hold  the  glass  and 
picture.  This  is  made  by  glueing  on  strips  a  quarter  of  an  inch 
or  so  square,  all  around  far  enough  from  the  inner  edge  of  the 
walnut  piece  to  hold  the  glass  securely. 


DESCRIPTION    OF    PLATES. 


63 


A  mat  of  gilt  paper  will  greatly  improve  its  appearance. 

Plate  No.  7  is  a  wall-pocket  which  may  be  made  large  enough 
for  newspapers,  or  small  enough  for  letters  and  cards. 

The  back  is  of  one  piece.  The  wild  convolvulus  leaves  and 
vine  border,  are  to  be  carved  to  give  the  relief  shown. 

The  line  next  inside  the  vine-stem  indicates  the  size  and 
shape  of  the  pocket-flap.  This  is  to  have  a  panel  cut  out, 
and  some  contrasting  wood  substituted.  A  veneer  glued  to  a 
piece  of  thin  pine,  larger  than  the  orifice,  will  answer  ;  and  this 
may,  in  turn,  be  glued  to  the  flap.  A  large  monogram,  or  the 
figures  given,  may  be  cut  out  of  veneer  or  thin  wood,  and  glued 
on  the  panel ;  and,  if  the  selection  of  woods  has  been  judiciously 
made,  the  effect  will  be  very  satisfactory. 

The  flap  should  be  attached  to  the  back  by  morocco  or  other 
thin  leather,  either  glued,  or  fastened  with  bright-headed  nails. 

If  the  flap  is  made  of  wood  a  quarter  of  an  inch  or  more  in 
thickness,  both  its  inner  and  outer  edges  will  look  better  if  they 
are  bevelled  off,  and  a  moulding  made  with  a  small  gouge.  On 
thin  stuff  this  would  not  be  necessary. 


ADVERTISEMENTS. 


It  is  believed  that  these  advertisements  will  be  of  great 
value.  Probably  one  or  other  of  these  houses  can  furnish 
every  article  required  by  the  amateur  or  artisan,  not  only  for 
fret-sawing,  but  for  any  other  mechanical  pursuit;  and  most, 
if  not  all  of  them,  publish  illustrated  catalogues,  which  they 
usually  send  free  to  any  address,  from  which  selections  can 
be  made  nearly  as  well  as  by  personal  inspection. 

All    small    tools,  saws,  pattefns,  &c.,  can   be    sent   by  mail 
at   much   lower   rates   than  by  express,  and  nearly  as   safely; 
and  money  can  be  forwarded  by  postal  order,  or  in  registered 
'letters,  with  entire  security. 


SMALL    BRASS   HINGES,  for  easels,  brackets,  &c.,  8  cts.  per  pair. 
SCREWS  for  above,  1-4  inch  long,  per  doz.,  5  cts. 

15^°"  A  ny  kind  of  tool  not  in  stock  will  be  procured  at  the  market  price. 
TOOL  CHESTS  AND  SETS   OF   TOOLS  from  $2.50  upwards. 
FOOT  LATHES  AND  SETS  OF  TOOLS  from  $35.00  upwards. 
SLIDING  SAW  FRAMES  from  88  cts.  to  $1.25. 
CARVING  TOOLS,  single  or  in  sets. 
PIANO-MAKERS'  PLANES,  $1.50. 


'-  rt  13  warranted  to  be  as  represented.     The  finish  of  the 
machine  is  unsurpassed. 

SEND  FOR  DESCRIPTIVE   CIRCULAR  AXD   LIST  OF  DESIGNS. 
No.  I,  with  1-2  dozen  Assorted  Saws      .      .      .     SIS. 00 
No.  2,  w:th  4  Saws $10.00 

Boxing,  40  cents  extra  for  each  machine. 


MANUFACTURED    BY    TRUMP    BROTHERS.    WILMINGTON.   DEL. 


NO.   1. 

Mounted  on  New  Stand,  witu  Boring-MacMne  AttacMent.  Whole  weigM,  58 1 

Price,  complete,  at  Factory,  $25.00. 

Boxing  for  shipment,  $i.oo. 


BORING  or   DRILLING    MACHINE. 

adiu^aWe  tLL  hTJ"<fti'?ri''^'!^^!''^  attachment  for  the  Fleetwood  Scroll  Saw;  with  an 
i-8  of  an  inch  dowT  .nrl  nn  <-'?,V'^'^/hat  .^v'"  hold  the  straight  shank,  twist,  or  other  drills  from 
.  8  oi  an  inch  down,  and  capable  of  bormg  rapidly  a  smooth,  clean  hole,  in  wood  or  metal. 

Price,  with  one  Drill,  including  Box,  $5.50. 
Stands,  boxed  for  shipment  .      .      .       $6.00. 


SORRENTO  WOOD-CARVING  « <^  ^ery  delicate  a,id  interesting  art,  and 

has  only  to  be  ktunvn  to  become  a  rage.  —  Boston  Post. 
This  instructive  and  useful  amusement  can  now  be  enjoyed  by  all  who  wish  the 
pleasure  of  cutting  attractive  articles  in  wood  or  other  materials. 

As  the  SORRENTO  WOOD-CARVING  CO.  were  the  fi^^t  to  mtro- 
du^eall^owlTdgeof  this  pleasing  work  into  this  --'"T,  have  been  engage^^ 
publication  of  patterns  and  the  manufacture  of  tools  since  1 865  and  are  the  only  house 
In  the  world  devoted  solely  to  this  business,  their  establishment  »"ay  justly  be  ^onsid 
ered  headquarters  for  all  materials  in  connection.  They  have  spared  no  trouble  or 
expense  in  getting  their  patterns  and  tools  as  nearly  perfect  as  PO^^'^le  ^d  aided  by 
the^kindest  encouragement  from  an  appreciative  public,  t'^^y  ""  ^fj^rth t^N^ng 
materials  of  unexceptionable  quality,  and  at  as  low  a  price  ^^^^"y  ^^f  J^^fJ^f  cer^- 
can  be  made.  In  addition  to  their  own  designs,  they  have  V:^"^  ^^^8^:"S-Blades 
man  Patterns.  Their  Saw-Frames  are  by  far  the  best  made;  and  their  Saw  Blades 
are  manufactured  in  Germany  especially  for  them.  AW^t\r,l^<,  for  cuttinir 

Send  stamp  for  price-list  of  tools  and  patterns,  ^V*'\  P"^!±£"to  Sse 
If  favored  wfth  orders,  the  company  promise  their  best  endeavors  to  please. 

Letters  and  orders  may  also  be  addressed  to  the 

SORRENTO  WOOD-CARVING  CO.,  Chicago,  III. 


N.    H.    BALDWIN, 


MANUFACTURER   OF 


Small    Gear    Cutters, 

HAND    PLANERS    FOR    METALS, 

SMALL  FOOT  LATHES  AND  BENCH  LATHES, 

Small  Foot  and  Power  Engine  Lathes,  Slide  Rests  and  Lathe 
Fittings,  Small  Foot-Power  a?td  Power  Scroll  Saws,  Small 
Foot-Power  and  Power  Circular  Saws  (with  self-oiling  arbors). 

All  the  above  articles  are  of  the  very  best  class,  and  are  highly  recommended 
Illustrated  Catalogues  free.     Address, 

LACONIA,     N.  H. 


30 
3 


'^i"                                 THE  LIBRARY 
773  O           UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA 
^  -»                                               Santa  Barbara 

THIS  BOOK  IS  DUE  ON  THE  LAST  DATE 
STAMPED  BELQJ^^  J^ 

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IW   J^ 

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4CA 

1 ^ — m    ^  ""  " 

^0TIS0CT15'9Q 

CHECKED  IN    OCT  1 4 '90  E 

Series  9482 

